The future, as they say, is female. Three portents of this prophesy were recently honored in the world of table tennis. Sara Sutcliffe, Chief Executive of Table Tennis England, has been awarded the title of MBE (Member of the Order of the British Empire) for her contributions to sport and society. Spearheading the Every Sport Matters initiative, Sutcliffe has secured government funding for the Olympic and Paralympic development of 15 underfunded sports. "I was very surprised... speechless, really," said Sutcliffe. "Especially at such a difficult time for the country, it is hard to put into context." Similarly stunned was Adriana Diaz to learn she was named Puerto Rico's Athlete of the Decade by Zona, the island's most popular magazine. The 19-year-old is ranked 19th in the world, tops in North and South America. The Pan Am Games gold medalist Diaz earned the honor of "Marcó La Década" ahead of such stellar compatriots as Olympic tennis champion Monica Puig and world champion boxer Amanda Serrano. "Sincerely, I do not believe it," said Diaz. "But now that I have the backing of many people who love me, it makes me feel super happy and motivates me every day to keep playing." Another highly motivated young star is Hana Goda (pictured). Egypt's 12-year-old phenom not only tops the ITTF Cadet Girls (under 15) world ranking, but, remarkably, is the defending Egyptian women's singles champion. Goda was recently recognized by both the European Union and Canada for inspiring all of her fellow Egyptians, especially girls and young women, with her record-breaking success on the table. "During the COVID-19 lockdown, I continued to train to sustain my performance level and to remain number one," explained the young champion. "I would like to send a message to boys and girls of my age that they should focus on their goal, envision it and put in an effort to achieve it." Clearly, the future is female. As it turns out, so is the present.

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